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Pencil Neck **Joined:** 18 Jun 2009 **Posts:** 4

Hi Guys,

Love M&F. I lost more weight in 2 weeks (show time plan) than I had in a whole year of doing things based on my misconceptions.

Anyway! I'm having a hard time finding the optimal weight range on sets less than 10 reps. Often I find I can't physically lift another rep, but at the same time I'm not experiencing much pain or a burning sensation.

This is usually only a problem when I'm going heavy on the weights. What is this telling me about my workout?

Olympia God **Joined:** 09 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 3314

Pain and a burning sensation are not really indicators of the effectiveness of your workout. Most often these sensations are encountered as your endurance wanes during high rep sets. I suggest you keep a log book to track your progress. If your goal is to increase your strength, choose a weight that allows you no more than 6 to 8 reps per set.

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Olympia God **Joined:** 24 Sep 2003 **Posts:** 3589

gdbear65 wrote:

Pain and a burning sensation are not really indicators of the effectiveness of your workout. Most often these sensations are encountered as your endurance wanes during high rep sets. I suggest you keep a log book to track your progress. If your goal is to increase your strength, choose a weight that allows you no more than 6 to 8 reps per set.

X2.

The log will show if you are making strength gains. If the weights keep going up it is irrelevant if you feel a pain or burn.

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Olympia God **Joined:** 22 Aug 2003 **Posts:** 4331

The vast majority of the time you will not feel a burn when doing high weight/low rep workouts. You will just give out. You feel the burn when you do low weight/high rep workouts. To tell you the truth you will get better results lifting the heavier weights and not feeling the burn than you do when do lift lighter weights and get that burn.

Your muscles are reacting to the heavier wieghts just the way they are suppose to.

Rev

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Gym Rat **Joined:** 18 May 2006 **Posts:** 531

Gym Rat **Joined:** 18 May 2006 **Posts:** 531

Sorry Rev, went back and reread everything I stand corrected. Like Imadad said, log it my friend. Let the mirror and your log show you your results.

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Olympia God **Joined:** 23 Mar 2005 **Posts:** 7412

AmericanMuscle84 wrote:

Quote:

To tell you the truth you will get better results lifting the heavier weights and not feeling the burn than you do when do lift lighter weights and get that burn.

That maybe true if his goal was to gain size and strength. For some reason though I feel his goal is to drop some weight, which in my opionon ( correct me if I am wrong please) would be better for him to do lower weights in a rep range of 12-15 at about 3-4 sets.

No, using lower weights and higher reps will not help someone lose weight.

Weight is lost in the kitchen. If anything you want to lift heavy when you lose weight so you can keep your strength up.

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There are few things graven in stone, except that you have to squat or you're a pussy - Mark Rippetoe

Olympia God **Joined:** 22 Aug 2003 **Posts:** 4331

bigstabile wrote:

Weight is lost in the kitchen.

This needs to be burned into everyones mind.

Rev

_________________
Money talks and mine is always saying, "Good bye."

...if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." (1 Cor. 14:15)

If all we have is this earthly existence, the Apostle affirms "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." (1 Cor. 15:32)

Gym Rat **Joined:** 18 May 2006 **Posts:** 531

So the cardio from lower weight/ higher reps, with less time inbetween sets won't effect weightloss at all?

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It seems what's left of my human side, Is slowly changing in me. Looking at my own reflection, When suddenly it changes
Violently it changes, There is no turning back now
You've woken up the demon in me. -Disturbed

Olympia God **Joined:** 23 Mar 2005 **Posts:** 7412

I don't think it will effect it enough for it to be worth it. Besides, just because you are working in a lower rep range, doesn't mean you can't shorten up your rest periods. Heavy weight, low reps and short rest periods lead to greater hormone production which is important for fat loss.

If you are looking to get a fat burning cardio workout with weights, a regular rep/set scheme is not the optimal way to go about it. You'd want to do something like tabatas, complexes, 21-15-9s or at least supersets with compound/full body exercises.

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There are few things graven in stone, except that you have to squat or you're a pussy - Mark Rippetoe

Pencil Neck **Joined:** 18 Jun 2009 **Posts:** 4

Rev wrote:

bigstabile wrote:

Weight is lost in the kitchen.

This needs to be burned into everyones mind.

Rev

Thanks for the clarification guys. And yes my goal at this point in time is to shed the last few pounds hiding my six pack. Wink

And thanks for pointing this out Big. I cleaned up most of my eating habits, but didn't realize this has been the biggest factor holding my progress back. Recently I've kicked my diet into high gear too.